1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates in certain embodiments to prosthetic feet. In particular, the present application in certain embodiments relates to prosthetic feet with an articulatable metatarsal joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prosthetic feet are known in the art that are designed to replicate the natural function of human feet. These prosthetic feet may include components designed to mimic the natural function of ankles, heels and toes.
There is much difficulty in developing a prosthetic foot that mimics the natural function of human toes. The challenges may be even greater when trying to replicate a human toe that can account for other physical modifications of the prosthetic foot. For example, a user of a prosthetic foot may be able to modify its heel height by providing ankle adjustments. When the heel height is modified without adjusting other sections of the prosthetic foot (e.g., the toe region), this results in an unnatural position of the prosthetic foot that can create discomfort for the user or provide a less than optimal rollover performance during ambulation.
Despite advancements in prosthetics, there remains an on-going need to provide a prosthetic foot that properly captures the function of natural human toes by providing metatarsal functionality. The prosthetic foot should be capable of assisting in walking and providing balance, weight-bearing, thrust during gait and proper push-off patterns. The prosthetic foot should also be able to accommodate different types of heel-height adjustment.